Over 20 percent of people arriving at retirement age, 62.5 years for women and 63 for men, continue to work.

Estonia has around 300,000 pensioners, with 66,000 officially drawing a monthly salary. The majority of those who continue working are earning far more than the minimum salary.

Last year, a working pensioner earned on average 750 euros gross per month, well below the 1,010-euro national average, but higher than the minimum salary, which this year is 390 euros gross. According to the Tax Board, average salary for a pensioner will surpass 750 euros.

The average pension is close to 350 euros per month.

“Pensioners are a stable workforce and usually very hard workers,” Mari Sarjas, human resources manager at Omniva, the state-owned postal service, said. Six percent of all Omniva staff are over 65, and most workers choose to continue after reaching 63, she said.

Sarjas said many older people are put off work by technology as younger people learn to use new equipment faster.